Aqua-Tera Club

The Aqua-Tera club is a leisure interest club for university students who want to engage in aquaristics or terraristics and acquire new knowledge in them. The club was founded in 1986, and during its operation it has had more than 130 members. In the premises of the club, the subjects of Zoology and Breeding and diseases of reptiles and terrarium animals are taught. The club presents itself at various university events, but also at the European Night of Researchers or the UVLF Open Door Day. The exotic animals of the club are often the topic and object of solution for diploma theses of club members. The club premises are located in the building of the UVLF Student Dormitory on Cesta pod Hradovou. They are a frequent destination for visitors to the university, but also for primary and secondary school students from eastern Slovakia. Club members offer them lectures, excursions, but also the opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge about breeding aquarium fish, reptiles and amphibians. Every year, the club also organizes a meeting with former members. It is an opportunity for senior colleagues to share their experience and professional knowledge from practice with a new generation of students and breeders in the form of lectures and debates.

From a functional point of view, the club is divided into an aquaristic and a terraristic section.

Terraristics
The terrarist part of the club is devoted to the breeding of reptiles and amphibians. The members of the club take care of all the duties related to the breeding of these animals. Whether it is feeding, cleaning terrariums and ensuring suitable conditions for the life of bred individuals. New members have the opportunity to gain theoretical knowledge about the anatomy and physiology of reptiles, but also experience in the behavior and needs of individual species of animals. In addition to theoretical knowledge, they will also acquire practical skills, such as preparing and arranging terrariums, fixating and working with animals, and the basics of reptile medicine. All theoretical and practical knowledge and skills can be used during their studies, but later also conveyed to other interested parties at lectures and presentation events and in their veterinary practice.

Aquaristics
The aquaristic part of the club is dedicated to the breeding of a large number of fish species. Members are in charge of the day-to-day care of the fish and things related to the aquariums, such as feeding, cleaning and improving the aquariums, etc. When joining the club, each member has the opportunity to arrange an aquarium according to his/her own preferences. Older members will teach the new ones all the knowledge related to fish - be it anatomy, physiology, reproduction, the right choice of decorations for the aquarium, fish diseases and their treatment, and much more. Interest in aquaristics is still growing in the world. Working in the club will prepare its members for any question they may receive from owners and breeders who come for expert advice and help.